


Caught Flatfooted

by antigrav_vector



Series: Assorted Gift Ficlets [23]
Category: Captain America (MCU), Iron Man (MCU), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Identity Issues, M/M, Memory Issues, Open ended, Tony POV, ignores all subsequent MCU canon, nongraphic discussion of torture, set just after IM1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 07:42:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17442752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: Iron Man stumbles across the Asset and decides he needs to help the poor bastard. It doesn't go quite according to plan. Then again... when do things ever?





	Caught Flatfooted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MassiveSpaceWren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MassiveSpaceWren/gifts).



> Posted with thanks to [dapperanachronism](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperanachronism), who was kind enough to do a quick proofread for me on the spot when I wrote this thing. Happy (belated) birthday, Wren.

He'd been off on one more self-imposed mission in the Middle East, cleaning up yet one more cache of illegally sold Stark Industries weaponry, when he'd stumbled across what had looked like some kind of human experimentation, or torture, or possibly both.

Tony wished he could rub at the bridge of his nose. But he was still armoured up and needed to stay that way. He'd knocked out or killed everyone in the base but that didn't mean there were no more threats incoming.

On the other hand, there was no one left alive for him to pry answers out of except the guy they'd been working over. 

And anyway, if he was going to let himself be distracted by helping the guy in the chair, who appeared to be having a seizure, Tony knew he needed to be able to defend himself. Or let JARVIS do it. 

"This is so not the way I thought the day would go," he muttered to himself, then raised his voice. "J, tell me this guy is still alive and not just reacting to whatever power flows that thing over his head is causing. And get me some stats on that arm of his."

"I am indeed detecting life signs from the person in that... device," his AI replied. "I cannot scan his prosthetic remotely, as it is electromagnetically shielded."

As if on cue, the guy twitched almost convulsively, full body, and screamed, his voice hoarse and exhausted. He was clearly at the end of his strength and they needed to get him free _now_. 

Tony winced. "Any idea how we can shut that thing off?"

"The console to your left appears to be the one controlling the power flow."

Tony hurried over to it and JARVIS helpfully highlighted the buttons likely to shut off the device, whatever it was. Luckily for Tony's nerves, the first one he tried powered the machine down, leaving the room silent but for the guy's harsh breathing. The blood trickling out of his nose and ears was worrying. 

"J, we've gotta get him medical attention."

"There are no hospitals within one hundred miles of your present location, and those within two hundred miles are all located near or inside of active areas of conflict. The nearest with a reasonably well staffed trauma unit and far enough from the current conflict zones to be safe is across the Turkish border, in Ankara." JARVIS informed him, displaying a map on his HUD. 

"Damn it," Tony growled and took another look at the man he'd just rescued. "If I have to fly him over two hundred miles, that might as well be a death sentence. But I can't leave him here."

The guy groaned and mumbled something in Russian.

"Aaaand I probably won't be able to talk to him either." Tony said as he realised just how shitty their situation was. "Got a translation for me?"

"No, sir, the words were not clear enough for me to make out."

Fuck it, Tony decided. He would ransack the base he'd just cleared out for whatever supplies were available and hope he could patch the guy up.

"кто ты? ты новый обработчик?" The guy asked, flexing both his hands. The servos in metallic left one made unhappy grinding noises that left Tony wincing and fighting the urge to open it up to fix them. 

He set aside the thought for another time and took a steadying breath. As Tony stared at the guy, amazed that he was recovered enough to speak at all, JARVIS translated the quiet words and displayed the English equivalent on the HUD. _Who are you? Are you the new handler?_

Handler? Tony watched him for a few seconds that seemed to stretch before he decided to roll with the idea. Better not to upset the guy, given what he'd just been through. They could get things straightened out later. 

"I am. You understand English?"

The guy looked a bit hesitant, but answered in American accented English. "I do. What is my mission?"

What the actual fuck had he stumbled across here? Tony worried at his lip for a moment before he answered. "For now, rest. Recover. I will offer more information once you are mission ready."

"The Asset requires less than half an hour to reach mission suitable levels of function."

What. The. Actual. Fuck 

Seriously. 

Glad that his faceplate hid his expression, Tony nodded and undid the restraints around the guy's arms and legs. "Then do what you need to do to prepare. Eat, drink, patch yourself up, arm yourself. And anything else that you need."

That got a nod and another brief hesitation, and then the guy was standing, not even wavering on his feet despite the way he'd been tortured mere minutes ago, and marching out of the room with purpose in every step. 

"JARVIS, we need to do some digging. I don't know what the fuck is going on here, but it's sure as fuck not normal."

"Very well, Sir. I will find what I can, but I do not expect that there will be much."

Damn it.

"Whatever. Just do what you can."

As Tony turned back to the chair, disgusting implement that it was, with the intention of destroying it, JARVIS asked him, "Am I to assume you will be bringing your new friend back to New York, then, Sir?"

The idea made him pause. He hadn't actually, but given the circumstances, that might very well be the best course of action.

"Might as well. After he's been treated, anyway." Tony paused in his words to use one of his micro munition rockets to blow the chair to smithereens. "Judging by the way he reacted to me, that chair was some kind of way of conditioning him. And calling himself 'the Asset'? I don't like the way this is shaping up, J."

As though he'd planned it, the guy marched back into the room right as Tony finished his sentence.

When Tony had first found him, he'd been shirtless and looked half dead. The man that re-entered the room seemed more like a force of nature. He'd dressed himself in black leathers and body armour, as well as a face mask and goggles, then loaded himself down with what looked like half an armoury. Tony could see an Uzi, five knives, a grenade launcher, and a Dragunov. And he was sure there were more weapons on the guy that weren't immediately obvious. Hell, that prosthetic probably counted. 

He decided to sidestep the issue. "Ready to go?"

"Where?" He asked shortly. 

"First we're getting you to a hospital to get checked out. Then I thought I'd take you back to my place." Tony responded. "Unless you have a home somewhere that you'd prefer to go to."

"The Asset has no home and presently needs no medical attention. Where is your place?"

Ooooookay. Unsure what to think about that statement, Tony eyed him for a few seconds, then decided to take him at his word for now. Given all the weapons he carried and the air of danger he exuded, this guy had to be a good enough fighter to know when he needed to be checked out... and how to use those weapons very efficiently. Tony knew his armour could take a hell of a beating. He'd shrugged off HEAT rounds before. But he didn't want to get into a fight with this guy. 

"Ever heard of Stark Tower?" He asked instead. "That's my place."

He couldn't see the guy's face, but he knew the Asset was frowning. "That is an office building."

"It is. And I own the top five floors or so."

The statement got him another frown he couldn't see, but the Asset didn't argue further. If his previous confusion could be termed an argument at all. "Very well. The Asset requires three days to travel there."

"Or you could fly back to Istanbul with me and we can wait there for my private jet," Tony offered. "It's normally based in Zürich so it would arrive there at about the same time we would."

"What." The Asset's flat tone made the question sound more like a statement. 

Tony eyed him. "Have you been living under a rock? Never heard of Iron Man? I can fly. The suit's not meant for passengers but I can make it work, and Istanbul isn't overly far from here."

The guy's reply chilled Tony through and through.

"The Asset is kept in cryostasis between missions and wipes to maintain mission readiness at all times. Not under a rock," he said derisively and unholstered a Glock Tony hadn't spotted, aiming it at the armour's left eyeslit. "All handlers are briefed on the Asset's maintenance. You are no handler."

Well, what now? Tony swallowed hard and tried to think fast. "My briefing got interrupted due to the attack on the base," he lied, spinning the first bullshit he could think of. "There is no need for violence."

The Asset considered that for several long seconds, before accepting it as plausible and bolstering the pistol again. "Very well, you will arrange for transport, Sir."

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Tony turned to lead the way back out of the base. "Let's go, then."


End file.
